Many Canadian colleges and universities have embraced "enhancing the student experience" as a key element in their institutional strategic plans. "Strategic Enrolment Management" (SEM) committees have been established on many campuses to set enrolment goals and develop strategies to enhance student access and recruitment and support retention efforts. How do registrarial and enrolment staff “fit in” to this process? No matter what your role or level of decision-making authority, this interactive pre-conference session will provide a brief introduction to the concept and principles of strategic enrolment management , outline the rapid changes post-secondary institutions are facing over the next decade, and explain how we play a key role in helping our institutions achieve enrolment goals while enhancing student access, persistence and academic success. Whether you are new to your position or a seasoned "expert" you’ll leave this session with practical ideas on how to instigate, influence, manage and survive change on your campus!

Susan Gottheil has over three decades of leadership experience in the Canadian postsecondary sector helping institutions to promote and expand academic programs, increase student recruitment and retention, enhance learning and development, improve student and academic support services, and promote collaborative partnerships. A senior consultant with AACRAO, Susan has worked with numerous colleges and universities on enhancing their enrolment and the student experience, presented workshops at a professional conferences in the U.S. and across Canada, published articles, and co-organized the annual Canadian Strategic Enrolment Management Summits. In 2011, she and Clayton Smith co-edited "SEM in Canada: Promoting Student and Institutional Success in Canadian Colleges and Universities".